


Life is a highway and Karl is headed straight off the road

by 420_im_lonely



Series: Here, we thrive [1]
Category: Dream SMP - Fandom
Genre: A bit of violence but it’s not graphic, Also Sapnap a rich boy bc i said so, Depression, Domestic Fluff, Gay, I don’t know the name of Karl’s cat so I’m calling it The general, I love this pairing okay, It’s 1:29 am, Karl gets mugged and hurt badly :(, Karl’s got some issues, Kinda?, M/M, Multi, also kinda?, broke college students, college AU?, irl AU?, let’s gooooo, not at all, not me projecting onto karl, stressed karl, they’re in college but that’s not the main thing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-07
Updated: 2021-03-07
Packaged: 2021-03-13 03:46:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,737
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29895120
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/420_im_lonely/pseuds/420_im_lonely
Summary: Karl is.... well he’s not doing great, but he’s not doing awful! Scratch that, he is.It wouldn’t be terrible if he wasn’t solonely.
Relationships: Alexis | Quackity/Karl Jacobs/Sapnap
Series: Here, we thrive [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2198151
Kudos: 54





	Life is a highway and Karl is headed straight off the road

Karl sighed again. _Only the necessities, only what I need to survive._

He rubbed his eyes before putting the can back on the shelf, he had 3 loaves of bread, a bag of apples, a cartoon of eggs, a pound of bacon, and a gallon of milk. It was enough for a while. He grabbed a few other things, only the cheapest, and tucked them in the cart. Tooth paste, paper towels, soap, laundry detergent, a bag of cat food. It was fine. 

His heart dropped as he paid for the items, it cost so much, and he was already so tight on money, maybe if he had someone look after his cat? Then he’d have the extra 15$ a week to maybe buy beef or something. 

It was all going to be fine. 

____

Karl was near passing out as he tried to finish his paper, it was due tomorrow and he just couldn’t concentrate!

Everything was so distracting! The wind outside, the drafts from the door, the creaking of the apartment, the dripping of a leaking pipe, faint music 3 doors down. 

He slammed his head on the table and groaned, he couldn’t get anything done! It didn’t matter, he could do something else, like look for a third job, maybe then he’d be able to afford an AC unit. 

____

With a heavy heart, Karl set the cat carrier down on the hardwood floor, Quackity plopped down on the floor, cooing at the majestic cat inside. 

“Once again man, I can’t thank you enough. I-“

“Karl it’s okay!” Sapnap cut him off quickly. “I know that your not home a lot, and that you don’t want this wonderful beast to go hungry or unloved, it’s okay, once everything smooths out, you’ll have be back with the general watching TV till 3 am.” 

“Thanks,” Karl tried to smile, tried to hide how exhausted he was, “ill pay you back after everything.” 

“Don’t you dare, I’ve got money enough, you just focus on staying alive.” He smiled again, his heart still hurt, and he envied the company that Sapnap and Quackity had with each other. 

____

Karl smiled as warmly as he could and shook the mans hand, ignoring the dread in his heart as he watched his car be loaded up. It was fine, he could walk to work anyways, the rink was 5 miles away and the restaurant only 2. And now he had 750$ in his hand, he could afford rent _and_ food this month. 

____

Karl coughed into his arm, a worn blanket wrapped around his shoulders, it was so cold. He couldn’t go to work today. He was sick and it was -7 degrees out. He’d get sicker for sure. Hesitantly he dialed the number. 

___

He almost cried as he handed the box off, it was fine. He still had his laptop and phone. It didn’t matter that he’d just sold all his gaming equipment. At least he’d have some money. 3000$ to be exact. He’s store it all for rent, and maybe put some aside for a bike? He could manage. 

____

Karl just laid on the floor, he was tired, he was sick, he was stressed, and to top it all off he’d just lost his job at the restaurant. Now he’d have to go to food pantries in hopes of getting food for the week.

____

He was just so _angry._ Angry at himself, angry at the college, angry at the rollar rink, angry as Sapnap and Quackity who always had each other, angry at everything. He kicked some empty bins in frustration, the rolled out over the damp concrete of the alley ways floor. Karl just stood there, shaking with rage, he didn’t hear the door steps behind him, but he felt the metal against his head.

“I don’t want to shoot you, but I will, give me your wallet, phone and car keys.”

Karl’s hands shook as he pulled him from his pockets. “I dont have a car, don’t have much money either.” 

“We’ll see about that.” His wallet and phone were snatched from his hands, he saw the man pull the 30$ he had for groceries out and then throw the wallet aside, he pocketed he phone. “Come on kid, you gotta have something else.” 

Karl patted his pockets, his breath hitched as he realized what was in his back pocket, his knife. 

As quickly as he could he dropped to the ground and kicked at the mans legs, there was a loud shot but he ignored it. He pulled out his knife and jumped at the man. But sometime went wrong. His knife was yanked away and he was thrown back. 

“Goddamn kid!” There were 3 loud bangs and Karl heard footsteps running away, he laid on the ground panting, damn, his food money. That was fine. Food pantries exist. 

Karl tried to sit up but couldn’t, a wave of searin pain rolled over him and he fell back to the wet concrete. The world faded to black. 

____

When Karl woke up, it was in a small room, dim lights and cream coloured walls, faint beeping. He blinked a few times, feeling horribly numb, but when his eyes focused- _I’m in a hospital? I cant afford this, I cant even afford rent!_

He tried to sit up but to no avail, he was to drugged up to move properly, but he could turn slightly and when he tried to roll over, he saw Quackity, asleep on the uncomfortable looking couch.

“Quackity?” His voice was weak and pitiful. But he heard it, Quackity rolled off the couch and scrambled over to the side of the bed, immediately pressing the nurse button. 

“Hey man, how do you feel?”

“Terrible, what’s going on?”

“You got hurt pretty bad man, you’ve been out for a few days.” 

Karl’s heart dropped, “no no no, I got work, I have to feed general! I gotta finish my paper and get my car to the shop!”

“Karl, Dude. It’s okay, you left general with me and Sapnap remember? Teachers are giving you time off and you sold your car, it’s gonna be fine.” 

A nurse hurried in, she looked exhausted. “What’s going on?”

“He just woke up.”

“Huh? Oh right! The comatose kid, I’ll be right back.” She ran off again. 

“Comatose?”

“Okay, it’s been a few weeks, not a few days.” 

Karl groaned, “I’m definitely fired.”

“Hey man, it’s fine, besides, me and Sapnap have something we want to ask you, we want you to-“ a doctor ran in right then, perfect timing. He ushered Quackity out of the room and began to check up on Karl. Shining lights in his eyes and checking his reflexes. 

“What happen?”

“You got mugged, shot 4 times. I honestly didn’t expect you to pull through, 2 bullets to the head does not have a high survival rate.” 

“In the head?” Karl felt like he was going to be sick. 

“Dont stress about it, you were lucky, the bullets were too low and not angled correctly to hit your brain, you will only have the scars.”

____

Karl left the hospital with Sapnap and Quackity, leaning on Sapnap for support. He curled up on the backseat, resting against Sapnap, breathing was difficult for him. Sapnap just sat there, running his hands through Karl’s hair as Quackity drove them back to Sapnaps house. Karl was so tired, he fell asleep listening to Sapnaps heartbeat. 

____

When Karl woke up, he was warm and comfortable. He cracked open his eyes. Sunlight came in through the window, dark blue curtains and trim, light, cornflower blue walls with yellow closet doors, there was a cluttered desk and a shelf of plants by the window, a large bean bag and a gaming set up. He saw Quackity, buried in the bean bag, a cat next to him. General. General was asleep in Quackitys arms. Karl moved to go get general but something was holding him back. 

“You just woke up from a coma, stay in bed.” Sapnap was behind him, arm draped over Karl and looking at him with a dopey grin. 

Karl just smiled and shook his head, laying back down, his back pressed against Sapnaps chest. Karl shifted, turning so he could bury his face in the crook of Sapnaps neck, the football player smiled and just hugged the smaller even closer to him. 

“Hey Karl?”

“Yeah?”

“All that’s happened, it really scared me, it scared Quackity too. I don’t want to let you go back to living in such an unsafe neighborhood.” 

“It all I can afford.”

“Then move in with me.” 

It was quite for a few seconds, “like here?”

“Yeah here, I have the space and god knows I have enough money, you wouldn’t be living in a almost condemned building, you’d be closer to the college and the rollar rink, you’ve be safe here.” 

Quackitys voice joined the conversation, “and he’s got the hots for you bro.” 

“Quackity!” 

“It’s true! Don’t sound so scandalized!” Sapnap threw a pillow at the other. 

Karl laughed lightly, “I mean who doesn’t?”

“Nobody in this room, that’s for sure.” Sapnap grumbled before leaning back onto the headboard. 

“Wait like-“ 

“Yeah him too.” It was Quackitys turn to throw the pillow. 

“Oh my lord.” Karl flopped down onto the bed, coving his blushing face with _Quackitys?_ hoodie. 

“So do you accept?”

“Yeah, I do.” Karl was slightly muffled by the hoodie material. 

“And in that case,” Sapnap guide Karl’s head up, holding his face gently and swiping the pad of his thumb across Karl’s bottom lip, he cocked and eye brow, “I think we’re all on the same terms, so won’t you join us? In a different way?”

Karl knew exactly what he meant, and he would see Quackity watching nervously from the corner of his eye. 

“Yes, i wan to join you.” 

“Lovely.” Sapnap leaned down and kissed Karl’s cheek. 

“Move over,” Quackity gently pushed Karl closer to the middle of the bed and climbed in behind him. “Great! I knew three people could fit!”

“I was wondering why Sapnap had such a huge bed.” 

“Oh, it’s for _other_ activities.” 

“You are the worst.” The trio broke out laughing only to be interrupted by a very disgruntled General, who was making his way to curl up next to Karl, but Sapnap was in the way.

**Author's Note:**

> I just love them so much....


End file.
